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Wednesday, August 29, 2018
This Tuesday, two cotton farmers from Norman Farming, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court for alleged fraud of the government. Queensland Police alleged last seven years the farmers submitted fraudulent claims to receive AUD31M in funding from Queensland’s Department of Natural Resources. The Court laid charges and released the defendants on bail.
According to the results of the investigation by Police, the farmers had allegedly falsified their invoices, misrepresenting machinery-related work from contractors as earthwork that supposedly aided in the improvement of water irrigation efficiency. The farmers allegedly presented farming-related work on their property as six projects aimed at improving the efficiency of water irrigation at their property near Goondiwindi.
Police have arrested the CEO of the cotton farm John Norman, 43, and the farm’s chief financial officer Stephen Evans, 53. They appeared in Court represented by their lawyers. In the Court they have been charged with six (John Norman) and four (Stephen Evans) counts of aggravated fraud and six (John Norman) and four (Stephen Evans) counts of fraudulently producing or using a false record. Police opposed bail however the Magistrate released the two farmers on bail conditionally, requiring that they surrender their passports.
According to the reports by ABC (Australia) and The Guardian, neighbours of Norman Farming had complained to the authorities about Norman Farming’s work resulting in excessive removal of floodwater from McIntyre river, leading to reduced availability of water for the farmers downstream.
Queensland’s Department of Natural Resources had provided the funding as a part of its Healthy Headwaters scheme. ABC reported that Department did not have the authority for compulsion “like Police [do]”, leading to difficulty with verifying the invoices which the farmers submitted in their application.
Detective Inspector Mick Dowie said the investigation had taken over a year to complete, including analysis of accounting reports.